Nightmarish
by El Ohkin
Summary: Zia has her nightmares again, and she doesn't know what they mean. A cobra who turns into a guy helps her along with other friends. She makes new allies, and new enemies. Will she ever get to know what they mean, or die trying? This is Indian mythology, and this is also my first time, so be gentle!
1. Chapter 1: Nightmares

As I woke up, my head was aching and my hands trembled. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead as I recall what happened inside my brain last night. _I was roaming the First Nome. As I walked, I saw Ra and Chief Lector Iskandar, looking at me with such scorn and grief as if I had done something wrong._

_I said, "What's going on?" Ra said, "What have you done, Zia?" I said with sheer confusion, "WHAT did I do wrong?" Chief Lector Iskandar said, "Zia, we do not know what happened, but something is happening inside you. Something not even the gods could explain. They saw your sheut, and what they saw was not you, but a woman with ten arms. We don't know what happened to you, but you must be confined-"Ra cut him off abruptly, saying, "Enough, Iskandar. Zia Rashid, you are now forbidden to go out of the First Nome. You are to follow-"_

_I said, "No! I still have to go with Carter to Long Island, and I have to help Amos with his duties. Why are you doing this to me?" Iskandar was about to say something when Ra cut him off. He was making a fireball and threw it to me. It burned, eating my skin like moth's wings. I tried to put it off, but it only became stronger and seared my flesh. It was slowly making me a skeleton, burning away. The pain became so unbearable that I fell to the floor, quivering like a fly trapped in a spider web. I saw my arms, or what used to be them. In its place were black bones, singed and rotten. I screamed, but realized that I couldn't. I was dying. Slowly, the fire stabbed at my heart. Now my heart was beating slowly. The fire reached it, and it burned painfully._

I had never felt a dream that could be so real, yet so _un_real. I put on my clothes and went to see Amos. I didn't tell him about my nightmares, fearing that I would worry him. I had to find out about it somehow, although I didn't know how. I might ask Carter, but he's too busy with the new recruits. Maybe later, after I meet with Amos.

As I went through the hall, I noticed that there was something peculiar in the walls. I looked more closely, and it turned out to be a _snake. _And it seemed to _follow me._


	2. Chapter 2: Disguises

The snake was on a statue, its eyes were as black as night. It was perfectly normal snake, until it winked at me. Who could this peculiar snake be? What was he doing here? Was he a minion of Apophis or Apophis himself? How did he get here? A tumble of questions rushed through me like water. I started to create a fireball, but flickered and went off like a broken light bulb. And then, the weirdest thing happened. He spoke to me, a snake spoke to me!

It said, _Zia, do not be afraid._ _I am a friend. I know you have many questions, but right now you have to come with me. _

Just as I threw a sizzling fireball at it, it said something like co-something and wrote a symbol that froze my entire body except for my eyes. I saw the snake slither next to me and say something like pirate nyada and transformed into a boy. He had the same height as me, with a shaved head and tattoos written all over his arms. He was extremely muscular for someone my age, and he was attractive.

I quickly dismissed the thought as he said to me, "I will take care of everything, but right now you need to come with me."

I said, "To where?"

He said, "To India."

He had a heavy accent and pushed me into Amos's room. I was extremely terrified that he would find out that I let in an intruder in here.

But, surprisingly he said, "Hello, Zia and Carter? Carter, what are you doing here?"

He said, "Oh, Uncle, I should let you know that Zia and I are going to the Nome in India, because there has been serious movement there. Sadie has her hands full, so I thought Zia could come with me."

I saw Cobra-Guy instead of Carter, but his behaviour, voice, even clothes were Carter's. How did he even know Amos and Sadie? And I noticed that he had a faint shimmer around him, as if he were hiding inside a thin curtain. After he conversed with Amos, he said goodbye and dragged me as he left. The shimmer was gone, and I was surprised to see a helicopter on top of the First Nome.

He said, "I'll tell you everything on the way." And he went in, tempting me to come inside with him. I was confused, but I needed some answers. So, I went beside him and the helicopter took off, with me leaving my comfort, my consolation, to something unexpected, maybe even dangerous. I had final thoughts of Carter before I closed my eyes, filled with nausea and nervousness.


	3. Chapter 3: Journey

We had to switch carriers since helicopters couldn't go as far as India from Cairo, so we went to Alexandria. I tried an opening spell on the gates, and it worked. I rushed through the gates and brushed past a guy, who was probably older than me. He had the smell of death, although it was slightly intoxicating.

We bumped into each other, and before I could go to my freedom, Cobra-Guy grabbed me from behind and exclaimed, "Not so fast. You already made your choice, so it's too late to back out." We got into the plane along with other people, and the captain blurted out in a thick Arabian accent, "This is your captain speaking. Thank you for choosing Hindu Airlines. Sit back, relax and enjoy our flight."

Coincidentally, I sat beside the guy who smelled like death.

He said, "Well, what do you know? I'm sitting right beside the girl who bumped into me earlier. Hi, I'm Nico, Nico di Angelo."

I said, "Zia, nice to meet you." Holding out my hand, he shook it. His hand was extremely cold, and it sent a chill up my spine. It was like touching Death (or Anubis, if you prefer). I quickly dismissed the thought, assuming that he was afraid of heights.

He said, "Do you mind if I get your earphones? Mine are busted."

"Sure, get it.", I said. After he got them, nature called.

I said,"Could you please move? I need to go to the bathroom." He scooted over, and I started to walk to the bathroom. I tripped, and accidentally lowered my eyes into the Duat. I saw Nico in the Duat, and was absolutely terrified. In the Duat, he was wearing a cloak like that of a Grim Reaper's. I hurried to the bathroom, quickly slamming the door before I let out a quiet scream. I thought about Nico, and how his Duat form was terrifying. I washed my face, trying to forget what I saw.

I rushed back to my seat and saw Cobra-Guy staring at Nico like he was a mongoose. His irises turned into slits, like those of a snake's. He started to have scales on his neck, and I started to panic.

I said to him, "Stop. Don't cause trouble here. We're almost there. Just try to control it, okay?" He merely nodded and went back to his normal form.

After some time, we landed.

"Finally.", Nico said. I said,

"Where are you going?"

He said, "Somewhere. Anyway, goodbye Zia and?"

Cobra-Guy said curtly, "Vyas. My name is Vyas."

Nico said, "Bye. I'll see ya when I see ya."


	4. Chapter 4: Whisk

As we landed, we got our luggage and went through the gates of the airport.

Vyas said, "Look into the Duat, and you will see the truth."

I looked down into the Duat, and saw wonders.

My hands started quivering at the sight of all the Duat forms of certain people at the airport. They had terrifying forms. Some had eight arms, while others had animal heads, like the Egyptians' paintings. Some had serene, calm faces, while others had distorted inhuman ones. A certain handful stared at me and Vyas, and I noticed that he too was staring back at them.

He said to nervously to me, "Come on, we need to go." I quickly went to normal vision again before running with Vyas.

We ran as fast as our legs could carry us, amidst the traffic of the airport. We bumped our way to the exit, and went out to the capital of India, New Delhi. The city was crowded with people coming in and out of the airport. The people that looked at us followed us also, and I saw them coming out of the exit beside us, and the chase was officially on.

We sped beside motorcycles, automobiles, buses, and vehicles that looked like a cross between a bike and a car, except smaller. The pursuers closed in on us, and used a quick _A'max _to push them further away.

Vyas said, "Those persons that are chasing us, they're not really my friends. They want you as well, but they want you to do bad things."

"Why?!"

"Because you're special. Now, I need you to focus. We need to go to my place, and there I'll explain everything to you. Okay?"

"Okay."

The pursuers disappeared. I was so relieved to catch my breath for a second, when someone grabbed me from behind. I struggled to push him away from me, and Vyas came up from behind me to crack his neck and pick me up to scold me.

He said. "Be alert at all times, okay?! I can't have you die right now!"

I merely nodded and started to follow him when a hand with a handkerchief filled with chlorophyll covered my mouth, and I started to feel sleepy almost immediately. I last saw a silhouette of a man before losing consciousness completely.


	5. Chapter 5: Starlight

When I woke up, I observed that I was in a mirror house, the kind of house in a carnival that makes you see things that aren't supposed to be there. Carter took me to one a few weeks back. Oh gods, I miss Carter. If only he were here. But I'm all alone in a country that I have _zero_ information of, no contacts except Vyas, and I can't even speak Hindu! It's a good thing Vyas speaks English.

I also observe that I'm bound upside down like Houdini in one of his stunts. I try to break free, but I can't. I try feebly to make a fireball, but my energy's all tapped out. At last I give up, sweaty and uncomfortable in this mirror house. The blood starts to rise up in my head, and my head starts to throb violently. _I need to get myself out of here,_ I thought furiously to myself. I look around quickly to find a small shard of a broken mirror, and an idea starts to flare up in my mind. I think hard to create a plan to get the shard, but to no avail. Carter was the thinker. He could've had gotten us out of here ages ago. I try to push myself towards the direction of the shard slowly, but then I hear footsteps. I hear shouts and bolts opening. And then I see a woman.

She walks slowly, like a predator who knows that the prey has no escape and relishes the moment that he's been waiting for. Finally the lights hit her, and the first thing I see are her eyes. They are so inhumane that it makes me want to vomit. Her eyes are all black, like a spider's. She looks at me curiously, as if I was a new toy she has, scrutinizing every detail of my physique. By the time she's so close to me that I hear her ragged breathing, as if every inhalation of air was a great chore, I'm sure that I'm going to kill her _if_ I ever get out of these ropes.

She said coldly, "Hello, Zia."

"How do you know me, and who are you?!" I said back furiously.

She said sarcastically, "Oh, where are my manners! My name is Tanyi, and I'm the incarnation of Matangi, or shall I say, _re_incarnation."

I said, "What doyou mean?"

She said, "Oh, I almost forgot, you Egyptian _boobs_ are so shallow. Oh what's the word again? Um, ambassador, representative, diplomat, and etcetera-Oh, I got it now! I'm Matangi's host."

I said, "So you have like the blood of whatever ruler you country had or has?"

She said, "Ugh! I hate how Egyptian _hosts_ are so shallow! We're the more powerful race. Egyptians have had their golden moment, but now it's our time to shine! Your gods will cower at the sight of us. Heck, every god of any realm will cower. Darkness will rise, and night will become the day. We are the Indians!"

I said, "I don't understand. Why do you want that to happen? And what is it with realms? Are there more gods of other groups?"

She said, "Duh! Don't you know about the Greeks? How about the Romans? And, how about the Native Americans? You're not the only one around here. You don't know anything!"

I said, "Then what do you want from me?!"

She said, "Your life."

I said, "Why?!"

She said, "Oh, I'm not the person to explain all that to you."

I said, "Then why are you here then?"

She said, "To torture you."

I squirmed at the thought of her doing things unimaginable to me.

She said, "You wait here while I get Kaley to _rough_ you up."

She went away laughing coldly, and I was once again left in this mirror prison that they put me in to die. I thought profusely for a way to get out, but to no avail. _If only I hadn't come with Vyas here, I wouldn't die. If only I have been more cautious, I wouldn't die. If only, if only..._

I lulled myself to a restless sleep. I woke up again, my head throbbing like crazy and my heartbeat fastening. _This is it,_ I thought. My time was gone. Goodbye, Carter, Sadie, Amos, Iskandar, Ra, everyone. Goodbye.

Suddenly, a great calm surfaced over me. My splitting migraine was gone, and my blood pressure seemed to be fine now. A great fire surged through me. It felt lovely, like the first rays of sunshine in the morning. It became hotter, hotter, and hotter until it felt like the nightmare that I have always had. I screamed and screamed of the pain that coursed through my veins. I looked at the mirrors, and stared amazed as my reflection had ten arms like in the dream. _I must be hallucinating_, I thought to myself.

The reflection's arms were holding something massive and uncontrollable. It was white-hot, like a supernova. I saw the ropes disintegrate, and then I was floating in midair. My reflection was white, and her ten arms were stretched outward. Both my reflection and I said something I didn't know, and the place was filled with a blinding light. I heard an inhumane scream, like a barbaric battle cry, and I saw the mirror house explode.

I fainted after the phenomenon, and I woke up to find that I was in a room. A very peculiar room.

It was very well organized, with everything in its place. I was washed and bandaged. I thought curiously, _Who could have done this to me?_

And then I saw Vyas.


End file.
